1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally vaginal surgical instruments and, more specifically, to an adjustable weighted speculum to be used during vaginal surgeries such as dilation and curettage, hysteroscopy, vaginal hysterectomy and other such vaginal procedures in which it is necessary to separate the vaginal walls to provide adequate and constant visualization of the vaginal cavity and access to the uterine cervix and the vaginal apex.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many speculums have been designed to provide the needed vaginal exposure and to free up the surgeons hands. To accomplish this, weighted speculums are used to place a downward traction on the posterior vaginal wall and to some extent provide separation of the vaginal wall laterally. The lengths of conventional speculum blades are fixed and generally range between 3″ and 4″. Such conventional speculum blades are frequently dislodged from the vagina. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.